eBay

rfaux · ‎03-17-2020

Hello all!

It has been a while since I've posted here, but I was thinking what sorts of things I, personally, might be able to do that might aid others as we go through a period of global uncertainty. I thought I would post an item each day with a short explanation in hopes that it might interest and entertain others. If it doesn't, well - I tried. 🙂

Feel free to discuss what I post here and if you have an item that is related that you can add to the discussion, please feel free. If you would like to join me in this endeavor, feel free to do so. It isn't a bad thing to take a moment with our hobby and get some virtual contact time with others that share similar interests.

I'll start with a typical 24 cent single rate cover to Scotland. This one is of interest to me because it was carried on the final mail sailing of the Cunard Line ship Canada. Canada was a paddle wheel steamer and Cunard was switching to the screw propelled steamers.

The rate at the time was 24 cents for the first 1/2 ounce of weight to send letters from the United States to the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Channel Islands).

Stay well everyone!

Rob

rfaux · ‎03-20-2020

jaywild,

It's a good thought.... the individual scans of the stamps (not the other thing... 😉 )

I need to look at the quality of the scans I have. These were taken a while ago in many cases, so I can't vouch for how good they would be without a re-scan.

That, and you can't vouch for color representation on a screen either.

That said, try this page for a relatively early draft on the subject - Shades of the 24 cent stamp.

Rob

jaywild · ‎03-20-2020

A true representation of the 70c violet on eBay, or on all the "expert" websites, is very hard to come by. That link you posted is a good example--based on it no one would ever find a 70c violet.

This below is my scan of my violet 70c, that got certified as such. The auction also had a good enough scan for me to tell what it was. It was listed as "Old Washington stamp".

I can usually guess the colors of the 70s 24-centers. The 78s are a little harder to tell, but not impossible. I like the challenge, even if it's not something I will buy.

msgtdavid · ‎03-20-2020

I think we all would be very interested in seeing your stamp certified certificate!

jaywild · ‎03-20-2020

Rob, here are my stamps of the 24-cent series. All were certified in the colors indicated. All were found on eBay. The only color I never came across was the blackish violet 78c.

jaywild · ‎03-20-2020

All these stamps were sold many years ago, and the certs went with them to the buyers.

If I still have images of the certs I have no idea where most are.

rfaux · ‎03-20-2020

Jaywild,

That was a nice grouping you had there. I think you've shown them before and I enjoyed them then as well.

In any event, the blog article I linked to is my own. It illustrates two things.

1. I have not re-scanned the stamps, so they are in old, degraded jpgs that need to be replaced. So, it IS hard to use the scan to do anything more than get an idea of how the shades might different.

2. There is more than color to determining what Scott number these things will land at. The paper is actually more of a determinant for many of them, so you can get a shade that "looks like" a rare shade, but it isn't because it did not come from the correct printing.

In any event, it's a topic I've enjoyed for some time. You may have motivated me to get on the re-scanning project!

Best,

Rob

rfaux · ‎03-20-2020

msgtdavid,

I was curious about content because the addressee was a person of some prominence. Thanks for responding.

Rob

malolo · ‎03-20-2020

1926 Basel razor cancel - rated 11 on scale of 1-13, fewer than 10 known for sure. I won it recently on eBay, being offered by a fine art auction house in Germany. I have since been told that this razor cancel collection belonged to a Berliner specializing in Swiss material. Descriptions are not philatelic! More fun for us! I bought 15 items in the second batch. I missed the first batch because the auctions would never show up in a word search. More to come this weekend. Yeah!

jaywild · ‎03-20-2020

Hi Rob,

You’re absolutely right. Knowledge about the Scott 70-78 Washingtons is not at all confined to the color of the ink. In fact the line between what is certified as a red lilac and that of a brown lilac overlaps from certifier to certifier. The pale gray violet is always on thin almost transparent paper.

These stamps, plus the 10-cent green Washington of 1855-61, and the 1-cent Franklin of the same era have been fascinating studies for me.

You have delved so deeply into the modes and routes mail travelled in the far off past that your posts always produce deeply interesting narratives.

To each his own; to be interested in, and pursue the lore of, different things.

jaywild · ‎03-20-2020

Go Roger!

Is that a philatelic use...I see no address, or is that it up at the top?

malolo · ‎03-20-2020

Not philatelic. I've seen one item with this cancel that was not a wrapper. So for some reason this device was brought out of a drawer for use during late 1925 and into 1926 and used by the clerk who hand-stamped non-machineable items. Maybe this was used as a spare, emergency device when his regular device malfunctioned. Before having the date wheel changed to 24 hour time [this mailed at 6pm] and removal of hatchures [replaced by district number and Swiss cross] this device was last seen in 1913 with hatchures! No record of its use for 12 years until 1925, then it wasn't seen again after 1926.

The addressee is upper, and return is the red hand stamp. If I knew German better I'd be able to tell you both parties. International 10 centimes printed matter rate to Baden-Baden.

rfaux · ‎03-20-2020

Roger,

That is fantastic! I know how much you've done on the razors and it makes me feel good to hear that you are finding more material. And, in a larger batch to boot! Please keep showing them here if you have the gumption. While I have bookmarked the other site, I only give myself a certain amount of time per day to do the post/reading thing. There IS still a farm to run. Cold and VERY windy today, so we're staying in a bit more. 🙂

Jaywild,

I am glad you find it interesting. You are right, I do love the routes/rates stuff. I did my bit with shades some time ago and, while I like them, I don't spend quite so much time on them. For me, it was partly financial. The rare shades cost the big $$. But, I can still find rarities in postal history because I have knowledge others don't (and I don't really need it to be a violet to be happy).

You know, I think I've been working the 24's as long as Roger has done razors... is that right Roger?

It's good to reconnect a bit. Thanks!

Best,

Rob

rfaux · ‎03-21-2020

Day 5 and time to take out a little thunder from the last page of my exhibit. This item was sent to an individual who was traveling in Europe, but he had returned home by the time it was received by Baring Brothers. They sent it back unpaid to his United States address. His travels were over, so his credit line was closed. At the time, US printed currency did not have full value against the gold standard, so the postal service required a different amount of that currency to get its 24 cents.